The Super Bowl drive has begun at Calder Race Course.

Officials at the horse track, just north of Land Shark Stadium, site of Super Bowl 44 (XLIV to you purists), conducted a ceremonial groundbreaking Wednesday. They plan to open a casino in time for the NFL, fans and their money to descend on Miami for the big game Feb. 7.

"The goal is to open in 242 days," Calder General Manager Tom O'Donnell said, as Cummings Construction trucks rumbled in the background. That would put the first slot spin at Feb. 1.

The $85 million project includes 1,225 slot machines and three restaurants and employ 250 to 300 people, officials said.

Miami Gardens city officials, building architects and designers, horse trainers and racing officials and staff from the neighboring El Palacio Hotel gathered under a large tent on the southwest side of the 220-acre track site for the groundbreaking. (The slot room is in the foreground of the rendering, the track in the back.) Afterward, they dined on sugar cookies decorated as miniature horses and the ace of hearts.

Miami-Dade voters on Jan. 29, 2008, approved slot machines at county horse tracks, dog tracks and jai-alai frontons. That followed Broward voters' OK in 2005, and slots' arrival in late 2006.

Calder, on the Dade-Broward border, is the county's first parimutuel to start on a whole new building.

Flagler Dog track is expanding its existing area and will hold a job fair in July. Flagler owner Izzy Havenick said he expects to open its first phase with 700 machines and a 2,000-seat amphitheater in mid-October. A second phase will increase slots to 1,500 machines, three bars and a dance club.

Miami Jai-Alai originally announced plans to open in 2010 but later acknowledged any renovations to the fronton, near the Miami International Airport, have been slowed by a lack of money. Officials could not be reached this week.

Hialeah Race Track, which has been closed since 2001, received the state's approval this spring to put in slots -- but only after the decrepit track conducts races for two years.

The only other venue offering slots is Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in southwest Miami-Dade, which has Class II slots, which play an instant game of bingo, rather operate via a random number generator (known as Class III slots). Miccosukee officials declined comment on whether they plan to work with the state to either a.) upgrade to Class III slots or b.) negotiate a compact and offer blackjack, as the Seminole Tribe is doing.

O'Donnell said Calder's proximity to Landshark (formerly Dolphin) Stadium, could attract Dolphins, Marlins and concert fans looking to extend their night out. Market research predicts attendance at 5,000 a night, he said.

He also said he'd consider tying in to football. But then, the NFL embraces gambling about the same way dog lovers embrace Michael Vick (my words, not his).

Meanwhile, O'Donnell said Calder plans to open a 30-table poker room in the existing clubhouse this fall. The track a few years ago had a small spot for poker, but has not been offering poker because "it was not a competitive venue."

"Horse racing will always be the core of our company, and we look at this as an enabler," he said. "We will never stray from our core."